Burglary

Tony Devenish: Is burglary being taken seriously by the Met and what have you done ensure victims of this crime get justice?

The Mayor: The MPS takes burglary very seriously and is committed to catching offenders, supporting victims and equipping Londoners with the right tools to protect their homes.
In my previous Police and Crime Plan, I supported local police and local authorities to tailor their response to burglary, delivering positive results. Burglary fell by 27% in the 12 months prior to the pandemic. In 2019 I invested £85 million to tackle burglary and violent crime, providing a major boost for MetTrace, the MPS’s flagship burglary prevention programme, which involves officers visiting homes to provide Londoners with crime prevention advice and delivering property-marking kits. This has significantly widened coverage to protect homes across the capital.
My draft Police and Crime Plan 2021 – 2025 sets out my clear commitment that the MPS and all partners will continue to work together as closely as possible to reduce neighbourhood crimes such as burglary and to increase residents’ confidence and sense of safety. The draft outcomes framework accompanying the new Plan prioritises sanction detection rates and local police will continue to focus on work to prevent burglary and target offenders.

Registering of Gifts and Hospitality and Register of Interests

Caroline Pidgeon: The GLA website at present appears to show an inconsistency in the updates of gifts and hospitality and the register of interests for Deputy Mayors, with some records not having been publicly updated since 2018/19. Will you ensure that publication of this information is consistent and kept up to update?

The Mayor: My Deputy Mayors are - like me - committed to transparency, and they and their teams work hard to ensure their registers of interest and gifts and hospitality declarations are kept as up-to-date as possible. This is by nature an ongoing process, and there can sometimes be a lag in reporting for administrative and other reasons - where this occurs I have asked my team to ensure the information is updated as soon as is practically possible.

Uber boat ferry service as replacement to Hammersmith Bridge

Caroline Pidgeon: Since the decision to allow pedestrians and cyclists to start using Hammersmith Bridge again, what has been the monthly cost of the agreed contract for an Uber boat ferry service not operating? Please provide a breakdown of all the main costs.

The Mayor: The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham reopened Hammersmith bridge to pedestrians and cyclists in July 2021.
During the intervening period Transport for London (TfL) sought to minimise costs associated with the temporary ferry. However, the Taskforce led by the Department of Transport (DfT) requested that options be developed for how the service could be operated on a standby basis should it be required during the repair works on the bridge, so a small core team has had to be retained for this purpose. TfL has also had to pay the holding costs associated with the infrastructure for the ferry service. Together these costs amount to £80k for every four weeks since August 2021.
These payments have been met with funding provided by the DfT as part of the Government’s financial settlements in October 2020 and June 2021, which were ring-fenced for this purpose.
On 25 November 2021, the Taskforce confirmed that a ferry would not be required during the planned bridge works. TfL notified Uber Boats by Thames Clippers of the decision on the same day and the contract termination details are currently being finalised.

Mid-life refurbishment of 1000 New Routemaster buses (1)

Caroline Pidgeon: In TfL’s current contracts over £0.5 million, it states that 1000 New Routemaster buses owned by TfL and operated by third party bus operators are due their mid-life refurbishment. Please set out in detail what this refurbishment will involve?

The Mayor: All buses operating in the London bus network have an overall design life of around 14 years. Due to their level of use, the interior and exterior condition are given a mid-life refurbishment to return them to ‘as new’ condition using a refurbishment specification issued by Transport for London (TfL). This helps to maintain a consistent customer experience for bus users and ensure a good public perception of buses in London.
There are up to 20 provisional items in scope as part of the mid-life refurbishment of New Routemaster buses. In line with the same refurbishment specification issued to operators, some of these items include (but are not limited to):

Mid-life refurbishment of 1000 New Routemaster buses (2)

Caroline Pidgeon: In TfL’s lists of contracts over £0.5 million, it states that as part of the New Routemaster refurbishment project there may be a business requirement for an independent body to carry our pre- and post-refurbishment inspections for quality assurances. Is this a normal procedure or a reflection on the repeated technical problems that have faced the New Routemaster buses?

The Mayor: It is normal for Transport for London (TfL) to check that work has been completed to a satisfactory standard before payment is made and any type of refurbished vehicle is allowed back into service. It is not a reflection of one type of bus model, rather it is a standard assurance when a third party undertakes work on any mid-life vehicle in the fleet.
TfL’s own subject matter expert will conduct inspections of vehicles after their refurbishment, possibly with the assistance of external quality assurance checks if the scale and pace of the programme require this.

Mid-life refurbishment of 1000 New Routemaster buses (3)

Caroline Pidgeon: In TfL’s recent list of contracts exceeding £0.5 million, it states that there is a need for a New Routemaster Driver Seat Mechanism Requirement to replace failing driver seat mechanisms as part of the NRM refurbishment. Please set out the details of this failing and when it was first identified.

The Mayor: It’s normal for Transport for London (TfL) to refurbish all types of buses in its fleet including New Routemasters (NRM) when they are halfway through their operating life. This can include components, like driver seats, which are used heavily and may need to be replaced or refurbished to rectify wear and tear or minor damage and be upgraded to more comfortable models for the second half of the vehicle’s life.
The scope of the refurbishment arose out of dialogue with bus operating companies, in consultation with in-house engineers and external suppliers, about what would be best and offer best value. The previous SideRiser Height Adjuster was selected for the NRM as it exceeded the accepted standard of seats on non-NRM buses at the time. It was a wider market design, not confined to the NRM. On top of routine maintenance, mid-life refurbishment represents an opportunity for bus operators to bring in its successor, the SideRiser Height Adjuster 2, if necessary.

Social Care Agencies Good Work Standard (2)

Emma Best: What percentage of social care agencies in London are signed up to the Good Work Standard?

The Mayor: Two social care agencies have signed up to the Good Work Standard: Penrose Care and Silver Birch Care. This is less than 1% of the social care agencies in London.
Social care workers have been vital in our response to the pandemic, but too many experience poor working conditions. I call on all social care employees to review where they can improve their employment practices, and those leading by example in the sector to pursue Good Work Standard accreditation.
Social care is a priority of the London as a Living Wage City programme. We are seeking to understand pay and good work more broadly in the social care sector, so that actions can be taken to improve employment practices, including pay.

Vaccination uptake at TfL

Emma Best: What action are you taking to boost vaccination uptake amongst Tube and bus drivers given the latest figures showing the high number of Covid-related deaths within these professions?

The Mayor: I am keen to make sure we are doing all we can to promote vaccine uptake to protect our residents, visitors and the NHS. As you know, there are a number of known risk factors for serious illness as a result of COVID-19. In the first and second wave of the pandemic, research showed that transport workers were at increased risk of testing positive and there is evidence that in the first wave there was an increased rate of death in bus drivers, due, in part, to the delay in introducing lockdown. There have thankfully been very few COVID-19 related deaths amongst Tube drivers.
Nevertheless, the death of any member of the Transport for London (TfL) family is incredibly sad. Since the vaccines became available, TfL has undertaken a number of communication initiatives promoting the COVID-19 vaccination and providing support for employees, both within and outside of TfL, to attend for their vaccinations.
In addition:

Night bus usage (2)

Siân Berry: How many night bus journeys have there been annually (bus journeys on dedicated night bus routes and those starting between 23:45 and 04:30 on 24-hour routes) for each of the last five full financial years since 2016-17?

The Mayor: The annual number of passenger journeys on dedicated night bus routes and 24-hour routes while running in the night is shown below:
Transport for London introduced middle door boarding of buses on many routes from the end of April 2020 to late June 2020, and limited data on passenger journeys was collected during that period. In 2020-21, demand was also suppressed by the Covid-19 pandemic. My answer to 2021/4858 provides details of the revenue for these services by financial year.

Coronavirus police enforcement

Caroline Russell: With the new legal requirements to wear face masks in shops and on public transport, what conversations have you had with the British Transport Police (BTP) over enforcement on the London transport network, and how will enforcement be a priority for the BTP?

The Mayor: Ensuring compliance with face covering regulations is of vital importance to me, Transport for London (TfL) and its police partners, to ensure the health and safety of customers and staff.
There have been numerous conversations between TfL and the British Transport Police (BTP) about face covering compliance and enforcement, including at formal strategy and governance meetings, safety meetings, and through ongoing discussions between TfL and BTP operational teams.
The BTP recognises that it has an important role to play in improving compliance, along with TfL and the wider rail industry, to keep staff and passengers safe and improve their confidence to travel. The BTP will work with TfL to improve compliance with the regulations as part of its business-as-usual activity. The BTP will also continue to undertake joint exercises with TfL enforcement officers to deal with face coverings and other priority issues.

Police corruption investigations and charges (2)

Unmesh Desai: Further to Question 2021/3159 submitted in July: “How many Met Police officers have been a) charged and b) convicted with a criminal offence following investigations into police corruption? Please provide a breakdown by year since 2015. Please also provide details of which borough or BCU the officers charged or convicted were based within.”
Your response being: “Officers are drafting a response.”
When can we expect a response?

The Mayor: Please refer to the published response to 2021/3159.

Videos and content flagged by social media companies to the Met (2)

Unmesh Desai: How many videos or pieces of content posted online have been proactively sent to the Met by social media companies due to concerns they have regarding terrorism?

The Mayor: The Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit (CTIRU), which is hosted within the MPS, has not received any videos or content proactively sent by social media companies regarding terrorism or terrorist related material.
I am supportive of the aims of the Online Safety Bill, and social media companies should be doing far more to prevent the spread of hateful and extremist content on their platforms.

Videos and content flagged by social media companies to the Met (1)

Unmesh Desai: How many videos or pieces of content posted online have been proactively sent to the Met by social media companies due to concerns they have regarding gang violence?

The Mayor: Social media companies do not, as a matter of course, refer content to the Met regarding gang related violence, and no records are kept of specific referrals. 

Project Alpha, the Met unit that monitors gang related social media activity, works collaboratively with Social Media platforms to identify and remove harmful content. The platforms possess their own automated and manual processes for removing content that breaches community guidelines. 

Project Alpha has achieved Trusted Flagger status with YouTube, a first for Law Enforcement globally; which has helped the Hub achieve a more effective and efficient process for the removal of online content.

Arrests due to music videos online

Unmesh Desai: How many times have the MPS used a music video as evidence when bringing charges against an individual in each of the last 4 years?

The Mayor: Whilst the Met does not hold this specific data, music videos have been used in the past to support a prosecution.
On 30th November 2021, two males were sentenced to 35 and 36 years imprisonment respectively for attempted murder. A number of drill videos, which showed gang association and direct reference to the actual incident, were used during their trial.
The Met have also utilised social media and music videos in evidence for Gang Injunctions, when the content can be proven to have incited or encouraged gang related violence.

Police corruption investigations and charges

Unmesh Desai: How many Met Police officers have been a) charged and b) convicted with a criminal offence following investigations into police corruption? Please provide a breakdown by year since 2015. Please also provide details of which borough or BCU the officers charged or convicted were based within.

The Mayor: There is no universal definition of corruption, but it is generally understood to involve an abuse of office and/or position to the benefit or detriment of another.
Nationally the police agree to adopt the legal definition from 2015 legislation of “The improper exercise of a power or privilege for the purpose of achieving a personal benefit, or a benefit or detriment for another person.”
When investigating corruption, numerous criminal offences may be considered throughout an investigation including Section 26 of the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015, Misconduct in a Public Office, Data Protection Act offences, computer misuse offences, fraud, theft, sexual offences or more appropriate criminal offences.
The Centurion system that is used to record allegations is a national system and does not allow for this level of detail in recording of investigations in terms of breaking down corruption into specific offences.
For this reason, the MPS are unable to provide the exact information requested. However, previous answers to 2021/1086, 2021/1744 and 2021/2530 provide further information on related investigations and offences.

Wandsworth Town Centre

Leonie Cooper: Are there sufficient police patrolling Wandsworth Town Centre to deal with anti-social behaviour and crime there? Local people report that they feel there are insufficient officers.

The Mayor: The Metropolitan Police have informed me that the wards covering, and surrounding Wandsworth Town Centre have two Dedicated Ward Officers and one PCSO each, in line with my commitment. These officers regularly patrol the town centre and deal with crime and anti-social behaviour. There are a number of other police teams that provide additional patrols at times of peak demand, including Schools Officers who patrol after school hours, the Neighbourhood Tasking Team, the Violence Suppression team, and Response teams who respond to any incident 24 hours a day.
As part of its forward plan to combat crime and anti-social behaviour the MPS will be putting 650 additional officers in town centres across London, including Wandsworth Town centre to boost local policing. These officers will patrol busy public places, including those where women and girls often feel unsafe. The extra officers will patrol at the times that will have the most impact on crime as well as on public safety, such as in the evenings. The first tranche of officers is expected to be in place by the end of this year and the second tranche by the end of Spring 2022.

Mitcham Town Centre

Leonie Cooper: Are there sufficient police patrolling Mitcham Town Centre to deal with anti-social behaviour and crime there? Local people report that they feel there are insufficient officers.

The Mayor: Figges Marsh ward, which covers Mitcham town centre, is an enhanced ward with three Dedicated Ward Officers and one PCSO. There are a number of other policeteams that provide additional patrols at times of peak demand, including Schools Officers who patrol after school hours, the Neighbourhood Tasking Team, the Violence Suppression team andResponse teamswho respond to any incident 24 hours a day.

Phoning the non-emergency police phone number

Leonie Cooper: Constituents report considerable delays in getting through to the Met Police non-emergency phone number. Can you update me on the number of vacancies and also the average wait time for each month in 2021?

The Mayor: MetCC has a workforce of 1,323 full time staff posts, and currently has 43 vacancies (7 police staff vacancies and 36 police officer vacancies).
The attached data showsthe average speed of answer for 101 (non-emergency) calls, in seconds, for every month of 2021.

The Mayor: 5053.pdf

Antisocial Behaviour

Leonie Cooper: What are the strategies the Met police are using to tackle continual anti-social behaviour, especially in tower blocks, where many residents report drug use and drug dealing is taking place?

The Mayor: The MPS uses a variety of means to understand where ASB is taking place. These include direct observation, community intelligence, ward panels, residents’ groups, and representations from statutory and non-statutory partners.
Enforcement options range from the use of youth diversion tactics, ASB Early Warning Intervention Schemes, Public Safety Protection Orders, and in the case of drug dealing, high visibility patrolling, covert operations and warrants. All of these options are in regular use.

The Tulip and Tall Buildings

Sakina Sheikh: What impact does the Secretary of State’s decision to reject The Tulip building have on the future of tall buildings in London?

The Mayor: I am very pleased that this tower which offered very little in terms of benefits for Londoners has been refused planning permission, although I am disappointed that the case went to appeal in the first place, incurring unnecessary costs to the taxpayer. Every planning application must clearly be assessed on its own merits against the development plan – in this case, particularly given its sensitive location, the Secretary of State’s decision reinforced the importance of design quality and impacts on heritage assets and views when considering tall buildings applications.

Port Inquest & Action from the Inquest

Caroline Pidgeon: Once the inquest into the Stephen Port murders is complete will you commit to working with the Met on lessons that need to be learnt and ensure a clear action plan is set out for improvement in areas identified?

The Mayor: I was concerned by the evidence heard during the inquests and the impact of the failings of the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on the families and friends of the four young men murdered by Stephen Port.
While the MPS has apologised for its failings and made changes since these horrific murders were committed, I have asked Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services [HMICFRS] to conduct an independent inspection into the standard of investigations carried out by the Met Police and ensure any necessary action is identified and taken.

Tactile paving on the London Overground

Caroline Pidgeon: In answer to question 2020/4265, you stated platforms 1 & 2 at Clapton are currently being looked into for feasibility and delivery in 2021. Please provide an update on the provision of tactile paving at this station.

The Mayor: Work to install tactile paving at Clapton station is currently underway. Platform 2 will be completed this month (December 2021) and Platform 1 will be completed in January.

Dial-a-Ride (2)

Caroline Pidgeon: Please publish a table showing for each day in 2021 the average waiting time for calls to Dial-a-Ride's centralised call centre, and the waiting times for peak and off-peak periods, the number of calls abandoned, and the total number of calls received each day.

The Mayor: Please see the attached document. Peak times are defined as 09:00 – 11:00, off-peak times are defined as 11:01 – 16:00.
Dial-a-Ride is providing extended hours of service during December, including until 2am the following day on 24, 25 and 31 December, and customers can make up to five bookings at a time during this period. This has resulted in an increase in call volumes and call duration which, coupled with staff absence due to sickness and self-isolation, has affected waiting times.

The Mayor: 4775 - Dial-a-Ride Calls attachment.pdf

Mayor's Office Costs

Susan Hall: Further to my question 2019/21081 regarding the Mayor’s Office budget, can you please confirm the actual expenditure for 2020-21 and budgeted expenditure for 2021-22?

The Mayor: The actual expenditure of the Mayor’s Office for 2020-21 was £5,957k.The budgeted expenditure of the Mayor’s Office for 2021-22 is £4,932k.

Workplace Parking Levy

Caroline Pidgeon: In October this year you said a major barrier to the implementation of Workplace Parking Levies was the requirement for Government to make regulations to allow for the notification, adjudication and enforcement of penalty charge notices (PCNs) issued for WPL Scheme Order contraventions. You have been liaising on this with the Department for Transport for three years but with no progress. What is the latest on these discussions with Government?

The Mayor: As set out in my response to Mayor’s Question 2021/4102 Transport for London (TfL) supplied draft regulations to apply in London in 2019 and has been awaiting a review by and feedback from theDepartment for Transport’s (DfT)legal team.
TfL continues to raise the matter with officers at the DfT at regular intervals.

Idling by buses

Caroline Pidgeon: Will you take steps to ensure that idling by buses is not considered acceptable with clear guidance against this practice included in the next edition of the Big Red Book provided to every London bus driver?

The Mayor: The current edition of Transport for London’s (TfL) Big Red Book guide for bus drivers has clear guidance about switching engines off, and this will be repeated in the next version. This is in addition to guidance and posters at bus garages. TfL and its bus operators do not regard engine idling as acceptable and, if there are instances where this is happening, TfL and operators would welcome details of the time, date, location and route so the operator concerned can investigate and address poor practice. The best way of providing this information is by contacting TfL’s Customer Experience team on 0343 222 1234.
My medium-term plans are to make the bus fleet zero emission by 2034, subject to Government support, having brought this timeframe forward from 2037. This is part of TfL’s solution to decarbonising the public transport system and improving air quality.

Build to Rent final report

Siân Berry: The February 2021 Assistant Director's decision ADD2493, for Build to Rent Development Research, gave the provisional date for its final report as 10 May 2021. Has this report been completed and, if so, could it be published?

The Mayor: This report on Building to Rent development in London has been completed and is available on the GLA website here.